Valerie Brisco-Hooks is a classic example of an athlete whose career
peaked at just the right moment, at an Olympic Games in front of a home
crowd. In her case, it was the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.
Brisco-Hooks was a relative unknown at the start of 1984. Her best time
prior to then for the 200m was 23.10sec, which she recorded at Zurich
on 24 August 1983. Her fastest time of 52.08sec for 400m had been set
in 1979, and her best in 1983 had been only 53.61sec. Although she had
been competing for some years, she didn't get into serious training
until she came under the tutelage of renowned trainer Bobby Kersee in
early 1983.
In 1984, she improved her 400m time to 49.83sec in winning
the US national championships, and qualified for the Olympic Games by
coming second at the US trials to Chandra Cheeseborough. At Los
Angeles, Brisco-Hooks won the first semi-final in 51.14sec, while the
other semi-final was won by Cheeseborough. In the final, Brisco-Hooks
was second at the 200m mark, but ran an exceptionally strong curve and
entered the straight with a two metre lead over Cheeseborough. Although
Cheeseborough chased hard down the straight, Brisco-Hooks held her
lead, and hit the tape first in an amazing 48.83sec (see photo above),
moving her to fourth on the all-time world list. Her improvement was
no less spectacular during 1984 in the 200m.
Firstly, she won the US
Olympic Trials, and then at the Olympic Games on August 9, she powered
away from compatriot Florence Griffith in the 200m final to win in a US
national record of 21.81sec. Her amazing Olympic campaign was completed
the next day when she won her third gold medal as a member of the
victorious US 4x400m relay team. (Ron Casey)
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